About Us

Here at Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, we believe that all children deserve a chance.

To live their healthiest and happiest lives. To be able to play and laugh with their siblings and friends. To feel safe and well cared for. To grow up and be whatever they choose to be.

This belief drives all that we do.

We are the main fundraising body for Princess Margaret Hospital and the soon to open Perth Children’s Hospital as well as the wider Child & Adolescent Health Service in Western Australia. We also work hard to promote healthy lifestyle messages to support parents in keeping their children well.

In preparation for the opening of Perth Children’s Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) Foundation changed to Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation in August 2016. Prior to this, we were known as PMH Foundation since establishment in 1998.

Scroll below for a full history of the Foundation.

How donations help

Donations to Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation are invested in five key areas:

Extending support to the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service and the Child & Adolescent Community Health Service, both of which work closely with hospital to support the health and well-being of children and young people. Find out more.

How you can help

There are many ways to help raise vital funds for kids at PMH/Perth Children’s Hospital including:

Our History

Over one hundred years of caring for the children of Western Australia

1897

Foundations of Perth Children's Hospital

Prior to the establishment of a dedicated children's hospital in Perth, sick children were nursed in hospitals catered towards adults, or more commonly at home. This care was often unsatisfactory as it was not targeted at children’s needs and by the turn of the twentieth century, those under the age of twelve months made up 29 per cent of deaths in Western Australia.

A group of prominent businessmen led by Charles Moore endeavoured to resolve this problem. Moore’s interest for a children’s hospital was sparked by a young Perth girl shopping in his city department store.

She was drawn to an unusual money box where she used three pennies to experiment with the box and then subsequently found that the money was irretrievable. When Mr Moore jokingly asked her what she would like in return for her money, she asked to give it to the children’s hospital. Moore admitted that a hospital for children did not actually exist in Western Australia and the girl simply asked, “Then why not have one?”

Moore responded, “We certainly will, and we will start it with your pennies.” While rallying the support of the Western Australian community and its Governor, Moore embarked on the first ever fundraising campaign for what would become Perth Children's Hospital.

29 JUN1909

The Hospital Opens

In 1909, Moore’s fundraising and lobbying efforts made the young girl’s wish come true. The Perth’s Children’s Hospital opened its doors for the first time to the public. Only one third of the running costs were contributed by government, the rest were contributed in the form of donations from the community. This was due to the fact that the government was concerned with the leniency of the hospital in collecting patient fees, as they were only sought from those who were considered to be able to afford the treatment.

When initially opened, the hospital had only twenty beds and one operating theatre. The first patient was two-year-old Elliot Patrick Mullins who was suffering from bronchitis and tonsillitis, two common health problems for young children at the time.

1915

Ward closures

World War I had a significant impact on the nation’s resources and left the government with less money to allocate and individuals with lower disposable incomes to contribute as donations towards the hospital. During and immediately after the war, there were regular closures of wards due to the lack of financial aid. In 1915, two wards in the hospital were forced closed as a result of poor funding.

1920

A fundraising appeal

Amidst the financial hardships of the hospital post World War I, a public meeting was held to discuss whether the hospital could carry on providing for children despite lacking the necessary resources. The outcome of the meeting was to launch a fundraising appeal for One Million Threepenny Pieces.

1949

The hospital is officially re-named

The hospital was officially re-named the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in 1949 after the sister of Queen Elizabeth II. It peaked at 256 beds until, ambulatory, “hospital in the home” and day care reduced the number of inpatient beds needed. Furthermore, as treatment improved with better technologies and increased facilities, patient turnover rates were much higher and not as many hospital beds were required. During the year of 1949, 5273 patients were admitted to the hospital, reducing the mortality rate to 1.62 per cent (from 12.28 per cent when it first opened).

1978

Princess Margaret Hospital is Declared a Public Hospital

After the second World War, the government began taking increasing responsibility in investing towards children’s health until Princess Margaret Hospital was finally declared a public hospital in 1978. The hospital now had the facilities and expertise to treat children with conditions more complex than ever before.

1998

Establishment of the PMH Foundation

When Princess Margaret Hospital became a government-run public hospital in 1978, the Board at the time established a Foundation to raise funds for the hospital and assist it in accessing various new technologies, treatments, facilities and expertise. In 1998, the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation was formally established as the main fundraising body for Princess Margaret Hospital.

That same year the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation provided the hospital with its first grant to purchase equipment for the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. A total of $2,054,168 was donated during the Foundation’s first financial year.

1999

Stitches’ Megazone opens

Funded by PMH Foundation, Stitches’ Megazone play area was developed on the premise of ‘healing through happiness’ and provided patients with a place to get away from the hospital environment. The fun centre included a performance theatre, outdoor playground, video games, crafts area, Club Ado (for adolescents only), Radio Lollipop and the Starlight Express Room.

2008

State Government Announces Plans for New Hospital

The Western Australian State Government announced plans to build a new publicly-owned children’s hospital alongside Sir Charles Gardner Hospital on the QEII medical site to replace Princess Margaret Hospital.

The PMH Foundation also committed funding for the following inaugural positions through to 2013:

The Hospital Celebrates Its 100 Year Anniversary

Princess Margaret Hospital celebrated 100 years of operation with PMH Foundation funding a series of celebratory activities. The celebrations included a PMH open day where the WA community could come and see how far their beloved hospital had progressed over the last 100 years.

2011

PMH Foundation Purchases Australian-First Equipment for PMH

Thanks to the support of the community PMH Foundation purchased a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) device for the Neurology Department of the hospital. This purchase marked the first time a paediatric hospital in Australia had in-hospital access to the device. Staff could now perform a number of investigative procedures in a non-invasive manner.

2012

Construction of the New Children’s Hospital Begins

Construction commenced on the new Children’s Hospital at QEII in Nedlands as per State Government plans 4 years prior.

2013

New Children’s Hospital Officially Named

Premier Colin Barnett and Minister for Health, Dr Kim Hames, announced that the new hospital will be named Perth Children's Hospital. The new name, which is a return to the original name of the hospital, is to serve as a reminder of the long and proud history of WA’s only specialist children’s hospital.

The Minister for Health attends the official ceremony at Perth Children’s Hospital to celebrate the completion of the building’s structure.

The Foundation commits $11 million for equipment, facilities and research at Perth Children’s Hospital while funding Professor Florian Zepf as the Chair of Child Psychology for five years.

Shortly after, the Foundation purchased a state-of-the art Armeo Spring Paediatric Robotic Arm for the Department of Paediatric Rehabilitation, making PMH the first paediatric hospital in Australia to have a device of this kind.

2015

The future of the Foundation and the hospital is unveiled

PMH Foundation advised it will change its name to Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation in August 2016 and previewed its new logo.

The Premier and Minister for Health unveil prototype versions of a single inpatient room, double inpatient room and a PICU room at Perth Children’s Hospital. The Perth Children’s Hospital logo and brand is announced. The Fizz, an exterior art installation made up of more than 500 individual lights on the façade of Perth Children’s Hospital, is switched on by the Premier.

2015

Community support buys way forward for rehab patients

Thanks to community support, PMH Foundation purchased two You Grabber rehabilitation devices to complement the Paediatric Robotic Arm for the Department of Paediatric Rehabilitation.

NOV2015

20 years of the Big Walk

The John Hughes Big Walk, a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Mosman Park and PMH Foundation celebrates its 20th year of operation. 2015 marked the first year in which participants could choose to allocate their fundraising efforts to one of eleven areas of the hospital, including the Children’s Cancer Ward, Cardiology and the Neonatal Unit.

DEC2015

Record amount of houses shine their lights bright for PMH

Christmas Lights for PMH, now in its 14th year, saw 96 households across WA light up their houses with Christmas Lights and collectively raise $116,096.65 for children in PMH.

MAY2016

Abseil for PMH reaches new heights

After a year’s break, Abseil for PMH was back again with 350 superheroes taking on the highest ever single span urban abseil at the 160m QV1 building in Perth CBD all in support of children at PMH. Together these heroes pushed their fundraising to the next level and raised a record $510,094.21 to help fund a state-of-the-art Hybrid Theatre at Perth Children’s Hospital.

1 AUG2016

The Move to Perth Children’s Hospital Commences

The Foundation begins their next chapter by officially becoming Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, along with complimentary branding, in preparation for the move to the new hospital site. While the Foundation may look a little different, the commitment to giving children in hospital in WA a chance remains as strong as ever.

Since the Foundation was established in 1998, over $65 million worth of grants have been made available to the hospital for capital projects, equipment, expertise, research and scholarships.